Away from Home
by Lysander's Pen
Summary: The long-promised sequel to The Long Road Home. Ralph and his friends face new challenges that test their intelligence, their skills, and their very characters. Meanwhile, life continues for the reunited members of Scorpion.


**A/N: Merry Christmas, all. This has been a long time coming. Basically, not long after I finished posting the first story last year, my life took a turn south. Way south. It got to the point where I felt like I needed to dumb my life down for a while to find a new footing, and that was not conducive to writing a story from the perspective of a boy genius. But now I feel like I'm finally getting to a point where I can start to use my full intelligence again, and that means I can start to get this second story out to you all.**

**I'm posting this now to get a sense of the receptiveness to it, and the strength of the community over eighteen months after the wicked day. I'm encouraged by the fact that people are still posting stories here. That said, the rate of posting for this story is unlikely to be nearly as rapid as the rate at which I posted the first story, when I was driven by grief and anger over the cancellation.**

**Keeping in mind that it has been a long time, I'm making sure that isn't necessary to have any particular episodes of the show fresh in your memories this time around. The characters will remind you of certain events, but most reminders will simply build off of the reminders in the first story. Zoe and Ada are major characters in this story, of course, and Ada's situation will be significant, but you won't need to remember anything from DBMB that is not addressed in the first story.**

**As you know, this story is from Ralph's perspective, and focuses on the younger characters from the first story. That said, the OG Scorpion members will still have major roles to play, and there will still be plenty of Waige and Quintis cuteness for you to enjoy. Also, Sylvester still needs his happy ending.**

**Disclaimer: CBS owns Scorpion, and all of the characters and plots from the show. Original characters such as Candace, Cecilia, Tyler, and Michael, and several others that will be introduced over the course of this story, are products of my own imagination, as are the plots in this story. I have no financial incentives or benefits for writing this.**

**Second Disclaimer: College kids drink. It's simply a fact. There is underage drinking in this chapter and in many other chapters of this story. I am in no way intending to promote such behavior.**

**Chapter 1: Testimony and Matrimony**

"Mr. Dineen, could you please explain for the court how you stopped Mr. Collins's signal to the California airports?"

Ralph pulled his eyes away from Collins's scarred face and looked at the jury. "I set up a multi-spectrum signal-blocker, cutting off the hotel from all forms of wireless communication." He looked at the jurors in turn, seeing their confusion. "You could say I placed a bubble around the hotel, which prevented any phone or internet service."

"A bubble?" The prosecutor asking the questions was none other than Jeanine Jefferson, the California Attorney General. She had decided to lead the prosecution of Collins's state law violations herself after the local authorities in El Dorado had proven unprepared to handle the complexity of the circumstances surrounding the case, causing things to drag on for months and the case to attain a higher profile than Homeland was comfortable with. That higher profile had also probably been a factor in Jeanine deciding to take the case herself, as she was running for reelection this coming November.

"It works that way. I got the idea from Collins himself. He put a bubble around Walter's apartment last year to keep him from calling the police when he visited."

"By 'Walter,' you are referring to Mr. O'Brien, your soon-to-be stepfather, yes?" Jeanine gestured towards Walter, who was sitting with the rest of Scorpion in the front row of the gallery.

Despite the circumstances, Ralph couldn't help smiling a little at her words. "Yes."

"And, Mr. Dineen, can you describe what would have happened if you hadn't set up the bubble, and Mr. Collins's signal had reached the airports?"

"All of the airports would have lost communication with the planes in the sky, and those planes would have been flying blind. There would have been collisions and crashes, and many people would have died."

"And, by your understanding, that is what Mr. Collins's signal was intended to do: to kill many people?"

"Yes."

Jeanine looked at the judge. "No further questions, Your Honor."

The judge glanced at Mr. Summers, the defense attorney, who stood. Mr. Summers regarded Ralph for a moment, walking slowly around the table until he was standing face-to-face with the boy.

Ralph stared back at him, knowing that the attorney was trying to intimidate him a little bit. He had done the same thing with Cecilia earlier.

"Mr. Dineen, who was it who sent the signal that you blocked?"

"The signal was created by Collins and programmed as a failsafe in each of his computers, so that if any of the computers were tampered with, the signal would be sent automatically."

"So, Mr. Collins is not the one who sent the signal?"

Ralph's gaze drifted over to Zoe, who was sitting with her father in the second row. She was looking down. "No."

"Then who sent it?"

Ralph couldn't take his eyes off the girl. "Zoe unplugged the keyboard, which sent the signal."

"And by 'Zoe' you're referring to Miss Elia?"

"Yes."

"So, it was Miss Elia, and not Mr. Collins, that sent the signal to cut off communication at the airports?"

"She didn't know about the failsafe."

"Just answer the question, Mr. Dineen."

"Yes, she sent it, unknowingly." Ralph finally forced himself to look away from her, and looked up at her father, who was glaring at the back of Summers's head.

"And when Mr. Collins programmed this… failsafe, do you believe that he ever intended that the signal actually be sent? After all, if it would only be sent in the event of tampering with one of his computers, it certainly doesn't seem like anything he ever actually intended to have happen, does it?"

Ralph looked at Collins, who looked smug. "He knew that he was going to be caught eventually, or he wouldn't have programmed the failsafe in the first place. So, yes, I believe he intended it to be sent."

"Didn't he mention the signal in advance, as a deterrent to his arrest? That suggests that he didn't intend it to be sent, doesn't it?"

"He said that the signal would be sent if he pressed a button, not if the computers were tampered with. He was tricking us."

"But he did give you warning about the signal."

"Partially."

"And when he gave you the warning, that is when you began setting up the… bubble, as you called it?"

"No, I had already gotten started on the bubble."

Mr. Summers raised his eyebrows. "You started setting up the bubble before you knew about the signal?"

"I decided to cut off the communication from the hotel after we found a speaker with a signal that was coming from the basement there. Since we knew that the source of the signal was the probable location of the hacker who had created the virus, I could keep him from doing any further harm online by putting up the bubble."

"So not only did you decide to put up the bubble before you even knew about the signal, you decided to do it before you even knew that Mr. Collins was present in the building? You simply decided to cut off all communication in the building, for everyone that was inside of it?"

Ralph glanced at Jeanine, who was sitting calmly in her chair. If she were at all worried about where these questions were going, she would have done something about it. "It was a means of stopping the hacker."

"At the expense of anyone else who might have been affected. Mr. Dineen, you show concern for the damage that Mr. Collins might have done by cutting off communication, but no concern for the damage you might have done yourself. If the people of California are supposed to be afraid of Mr. Collins's abilities as a hacker, should they not be equally afraid of yours?"

Now Jeanine finally stepped in. "Objection, that's not remotely relevant."

"Sustained. Mr. Summers, do you have any further questions for the witness that are on topic?"

Ralph glared at Summers, who gave the judge a mild look. "No, Your Honor." He sat back down, and Ralph looked at Collins, who winked at him.

"Mr. Dineen, you are dismissed. Thank you for your testimony." Ralph quickly stood and left the stand. "Ms. Jefferson, do you think we can get one more witness in before we call it a day?"

Jeanine stood. "I do, Your Honor." As Ralph passed her, she turned towards Zoe. "Are you ready?" she asked quietly.

Zoe nodded and stood, and Tyler moved out of the way to let her get past him into the aisle.

"The Prosecution calls Miss Zoe Elia."

"Good luck," Ralph said quietly as she passed him. She looked at him, then quickly looked away, and he wondered if he would have to apologize later for what he said. But he had only been answering the questions asked of him.

He sat down next to Tyler and caught a glance from his mother from the row in front. She reached over for his hand, and he took it, allowing her to give what she believed was a comforting squeeze. He squeezed back.

Zoe took the stand and was sworn in. "Please state your full name for the record."

"Zoe Olivia Elia."

"And please state your place of residence…"

Tyler leaned over towards Mr. Elia. "I didn't know her initials are the same as her first name," he said quietly. "That's kind of cool."

Mr. Elia raised his eyebrows at Tyler. "She's named after two of her great-grandmothers. The initials are a coincidence."

Tyler nodded and sat straight again.

"And you are a student at the University of California, Berkeley, correct?"

"Yes."

"Miss Elia, how is it that you came to be in Tahoe on the evening that Mr. Collins was arrested?"

"I traveled there with Walter."

"Mr. O'Brien?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I wanted to help him."

"You wanted to help him stop the hacker who had not yet been identified as Mr. Collins?"

"Yes."

"And when you encountered Mr. Collins in the basement of the hotel, did he say anything to you directly?"

"Not until…" Zoe looked down.

"Until you pulled the plug on the keyboard?"

"Objection."

"Sustained. Please allow the witness to finish her answers herself."

"Yes, Your Honor. Did Mr. Collins express any surprise when he saw you there?"

"He knew we were there before we found him. I don't know what his reaction was."

"So, it is your belief that Mr. Collins knew you were in the hotel before you encountered him in the basement? I mean you, specifically, and not just Team Scorpion."

"Yes."

Ralph wondered where Jeanine was going with these questions.

"Now, when Mr. Collins first mentioned the signal to the airports, what exactly did he say?"

"He said that if he pressed a button on the keyboard, it would cut off the communication at the control towers."

"And did he in any way suggest that there might be another way to send the signal?"

"No."

"And what did you do?"

"I decided that if I unplugged the keyboard, he wouldn't be able to send the signal. So, I snuck behind him and unplugged it."

"So, your intention in unplugging the keyboard was to prevent the signal from being sent, not to send it yourself?"

"Yes."

"And was Mr. Collins standing by the keyboard when he first mentioned the button?"

"Yes. He had walked over to it."

"And when you snuck behind him, was he still standing there?"

"No, he had walked over to Walter."

"So, he wasn't close to the keyboard when you unplugged it?"

"No."

"And did you ever suspect that his walking away from the keyboard after mentioning the button might suggest there was another means of sending the signal?"

"No."

"So, for all you know, Mr. Collins intended for someone such as yourself to sneak behind him and unplug the keyboard, thinking they would be preventing the signal, when they would in fact be sending it out."

"Objection, that calls for pure speculation."

"Sustained."

Jeanine nodded, then turned to the judge. "No further questions, Your Honor."

Zoe smiled a little at the thought that Jeanine had concluded the questioning with. Then her smile faded as Summers stood.

"Miss Elia, you regularly associate with Mr. O'Brien and his team of geniuses, as well as Mr. Dineen, do you not?"

"They saved my life five years ago when I was kidnapped, but it wasn't until last year that I started communicating with them regularly. Still, I consider them all friends."

"And you are fully aware of their intellectual capabilities?"

"I think it would take a long time to become fully aware of their capabilities, as those capabilities are rather extensive." Ralph felt his face warm a little.

"That wasn't intended to be a philosophical question, Miss Elia. You understand that they're very smart?"

"Yes."

"And, prior to that evening in Tahoe, were you aware that Mr. Collins is also very smart."

"Yes."

"And yet you maintain that it never occurred to you that Mr. Collins mentioning the button on the keyboard and then immediately walking away from it might suggest another means of sending the signal."

Zoe glared at him. "No."

"It never struck you as at all suspicious?"

Jeanine stood. "Objection. It seems Mr. Summers's only goal with these questions is to make the witness feel bad."

Summers looked at her, still perfectly calm. "My only goal with these questions is to show that my client never intended the signal to be sent at all. He never could have anticipated the utter recklessness of Miss Elia's actions."

"Despite how smart he is?"

"Regardless of his intelligence, he is inexperienced at dealing with normal people. He believed that by walking away from the keyboard after explaining the signal, he was making it obvious that there was another means of sending the signal, and that anyone should have been able to understand that. He did not anticipate the recklessness of a university student of average intelligence."

Ralph was one of many in the room that glared at Summers. Zoe's face was red, and she was looking down.

"That's enough," said the judge. She had raised her gavel, and looked prepared to start hammering away if the attorneys continued their departure from the questioning. "Do you have any further questions for Miss Elia regarding what she witnessed?"

"No, Your Honor."

"Miss Elia, you are dismissed. Thank you for your testimony."

Zoe sent one last glare at Summers before standing and returning to the gallery. Ralph and Tyler both cleared out of the way, giving her sympathetic looks as she silently passed them.

The judge looked up at the clock on the wall at the back of the gallery. "The present time is 2:47 PM. Are we agreed that we have arrived at a good stopping point from which to resume next week?"

"Yes, Your Honor," both attorneys replied.

"Very well. Please rise while the jury is escorted out."

Everyone stood and waited while the jury left the room. Then they sat again.

"Off the record… Do we think we can be done with this by next Wednesday?"

"Yes, Your Honor," Jeanine replied. "I have only two more witnesses, Dr. and Mrs. Quinn-Curtis."

"And Dr. Quinn-Curtis is the doctor who has previously testified on the defendant's mental fitness, yes?"

"Yes. Although, as the defendant has chosen to forego the insanity defense this time around, I will not be asking Dr. Quinn-Curtis about that."

"Ms. Jefferson, in the interest of expediency, can you assure me that these two witnesses will be providing information that has not already been provided to the jury multiple times over by your other witnesses?"

"Mr. Summers has raised the issue of Mr. Collins's mental state at the time he mentioned the airport signal to the team, and whether or not he intended that the signal be sent when he did so. Dr. Quinn-Curtis is qualified to testify on that matter as either a personal or expert witness."

"Well, he's a fact witness in this case, not an expert witness, so you can't ask him for an expert opinion anyway," said Mr. Summers. He looked at the judge. "This is just piling on and wasting the court's time."

"I'll remind you that I am not even calling up half of the plethora of witnesses to Mr. Collins's crimes, in the interest of the court's time," said Jeanine.

Ralph glanced over at Toby and Happy. Both wore expressions suggesting that they would be perfectly happy to not have to return here on Monday and testify.

The judge was silent for a moment, tapping her fingers on the handle of her gavel. "Alright, let's compromise. We'll do Dr. Quinn-Curtis's testimony on Monday, and then I ask that the prosecution rest. Nothing suggests to me that Mrs. Quinn-Curtis's testimony will provide anything the jury hasn't already heard."

Happy's face lit up, while Toby grimaced.

"Thank you, Your Honor," said Jeanine.

"On the record… We will resume at 9:30 AM on Monday with the prosecution's final witness. This court is hereby adjourned until then." She banged the gavel. "Bailiff, please escort out the defendant."

Collins stood, the chains on his wrists and ankles clinking. As the bailiff approached, he turned to the gallery. "Walter and Paige, I wish you my best. I really mean that. I'm sorry I'm missing the wedding." Then he turned back and allowed the bailiff to escort him from the room.

The judge cleared her throat. "Mr. O'Brien and Miss Dineen, you also have my best wishes. And I wish everyone a pleasant weekend." She stood, and everyone stood with her.

Ralph smiled at his mother and Walter. "Thank you, Your Honor," his mother replied. When the judge left the room, she turned to the others. "Alright, everyone who's in the rehearsal, let's get back to the airport ASAP."

Jeanine looked at Cecilia, Ralph, and Zoe. "You all did very well today."

"Thank you," Cecilia replied.

Ralph glanced at Zoe. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

She nodded, not looking at him. "I'm fine." Her father glared at Mr. Summers as he passed them on his way out of the courtroom.

"Miss Elia, you did a very fine job," Jeanine assured her. "Mr. Summers was providing a vigorous defense of his client, as he is ethically bound to do. I don't believe the jury will find that you hold any of the blame."

"I know," Zoe replied.

"Mr. Mitchell, I know you don't officially work for my office until next week, but why don't you help me carry all of this out to my car?"

Tyler snapped to attention. "Yes, Ma'am." He quickly turned to the others. "Good luck with the rehearsal. See you tomorrow."

The others filed out into the hallway. "Enjoy the rehearsal tonight," said Mr. Elia. "It's the time when you really get to enjoy the experience, without the pressure of having your every move watched by all of the guests."

Walter chuckled. "Thanks, we'll keep that in mind."

"Miss Fernandez, you and Mr. Mitchell are flying with us, right?"

Cecilia turned to Mr. Elia. "Yes, Sir. And thank you."

"It's no trouble at all."

"See you tomorrow," said Ralph. Cecilia gave him a smile and a wave, while Zoe simply smiled.

* * *

He felt like he should feel happier. His mother had just married the love of her life, a man whom Ralph was very fond of. He was very happy for her and happy that they were officially married. That made the fact that he wasn't actually feeling that happiness at the moment that much more confusing.

The main factor was probably that he was having an extremely hard time keeping his eyes away from Zoe. She looked incredibly beautiful in her yellow strapless dress, and her appearance was hopelessly hampering his ability to concentrate on the rest of the experience of his mother's wedding.

Another factor was that he wasn't just the son of the bride, he was also the groom's best man. Walter's choice had been surprising. Cabe already had his role in the wedding, as Ralph's mother had asked him to walk her down the aisle, and Sylvester had seemed perfectly prepared to yield the best man role to Toby so that he wouldn't have to give a speech. Instead, however, Walter had chosen Ralph, citing his importance in Walter's life as both critical and understated, and mentioning that Ralph was the most qualified to attest that Walter would make his mother happy. Ralph had been flattered, and Sylvester and Toby had both been understanding.

Now, however, he was about to give a speech in front of not just his mother's and Walter's friends, but his own as well. Ralph and Zoe were joined at their table by Cecilia, Tyler, Michael, and even Ariel. Ada's remote interface had been linked to the venue's wifi so that she could attend the event in her own way. It was Ariel's first time off-campus, and Ada was ecstatic about being able to move about freely in a new location, while the venue staff was occasionally glancing warily at what looked to them like a robot among the guests.

And his friends' presence was a factor in its own right, and not just because of his role as best man. He enjoyed being among them, but here, where he was very close to the center of attention by association, he felt like a disproportionate amount of their attention was on him, and that he had to return that attention. They knew that he was quiet, of course, but he felt like he had an obligation to be more social with them here.

And then there were minor factors. He glanced over at where his grandmother was sitting with Walter's parents. That felt like it could be a disaster waiting to happen, but it hadn't yet manifested as such. She was behaving herself, for the moment. Elsewhere, his father was sitting with a couple of his mother's pre-Scorpion friends, and was also behaving himself, for the moment.

He turned back to his friends, and his gaze caught on Zoe again. She caught the look and gave him a smile.

Tyler leaned over close to his ear. "You're going to ask that girl to dance at some point tonight, right?"

Ralph raised his eyebrows and looked at the older boy. He had danced with his mother for one song, taking the place of the father of the bride while Walter had danced with his mother. After that, however, he hadn't intended to do any more dancing.

The idea of dancing with Zoe was both appealing and intimidating.

"How about this: If you don't ask her to dance at the start of the next song, I'm going to."

Ralph frowned at him. He knew the objective of the ultimatum was of course to get Ralph to ask Zoe to dance, but he didn't like that Tyler was threatening to take his place. Not that… Well, not that dancing with Zoe was his… Never mind.

The present song ended all too soon, and the next one began. It was a slow, pleasant jazz piece, ideal for a slow dance. Still, Ralph hesitated. Tyler gave him a look, then stood.

Ralph frowned again, but still felt glued to his seat as he watched Tyler circle the table over to Zoe. "Zoe, you look absolutely beautiful tonight."

She smiled at him. "Thank you." Ralph felt a weight settle in his gut.

"Would you like to dance… with Ralph?"

The weight was suddenly replaced by a whole new feeling as his eyes snapped up to Tyler. Zoe raised her eyebrows, and then her gaze slowly moved over to Ralph. Standing, she walked around the table to him, then stood with her hands on her hips.

"Um… hi."

"Do you have something to ask me?"

"I… yes."

She waited.

"Do you… um… Would you…"

Then, suddenly, Cecilia was behind him, pulling him up from his chair so that he was standing face-to-face with Zoe, and very close to her. "Your mouth works like this," she said, moving his jaw up and down.

Ralph tried to speak against her hand, and it came out incoherent. She moved her hand away. "Wouldyouliketodance?"

"Yes," Zoe replied. Taking his hand, she led him onto the dance floor. Ralph focused on the feel of her hand around his, hoping it would push away the embarrassment.

She didn't stop until she was near the middle of the floor, which suddenly felt very empty around them. Then she turned and placed her left hand on his shoulder, and he moved his hands to her hips. "No, we're not in middle school anymore." Reaching down with her right hand, she took his left hand and laced their fingers together, and started swaying. He mirrored her. "There you go."

He looked around. It felt like everyone could see them.

She moved slightly closer, and he felt extremely aware of how close her body was to his. She really was so beautiful.

He glanced over her shoulder, and noticed three particular pairs of eyes on them. "Your whole family is watching us," he whispered.

"That's fine," she replied.

It didn't feel fine as he observed the look on her father's face. His internship would be starting in nine days, at which point Mr. Elia would officially be his boss.

"Relax, Ralph." Her whisper pulled his gaze back to her face, and her eyes locked his in place. She stepped slightly closer again, and he began to feel warm in his suit, despite the anxiousness. "Just dance with me."

"That's… what I'm doing."

The song continued, and the movements began to feel automatic as he lost himself in her gaze and her proximity. That sensation vanished, however, the moment he felt a pair of small hands grip his shin. "Raff?"

He looked down at Maria, who looked like a toddler-sized doll in her charming flower girl dress.

"Raff?"

Zoe gave a small laugh. "Hello, there." Removing her hand from his shoulder, she reached down and scooped the toddler up, holding her against her hip. "Do you want to dance, too?" She kept her other hand laced with Ralph's as she resumed swaying.

Maria stared at her, then looked uncertainly at Ralph, who wasn't sure whether he should also keep moving.

"Do you remember Zoe?" he asked the toddler.

"Zo?" Maria looked back at Zoe.

"That's right." Zoe smiled. "I'll be here over the summer, so you'll get to know me."

Maria looked back at Ralph, and her nearer arm reached out for him. "Raff? Dass?"

He moved slightly closer so that she could reach his shoulder, then began moving again. The hand that had been at Zoe's hip moved so that it was now against her arm, helping to hold Maria up.

Maria kept one arm outstretched towards Ralph's shoulder and moved her other hand over to Zoe's, and smiled as they both swayed. "Dass!"

It began to feel exceptionally awkward. He watched as Zoe smiled at the toddler, holding her up tightly as she moved. It made Zoe look even older and more mature than she was, accentuating the gap between her and Ralph into a chasm that seemed to open between their bodies. Ralph stepped slightly away from her, his hands faltering against hers.

Then Happy was there, smiling as she watched Zoe dance with her daughter. Ralph turned to her, fully stepping away to allow Zoe to dance with the miniature interloper.

"I'm sorry she cut in on you."

"It's okay." Ralph did his best to hide his feelings, but probably failed miserably at it.

"You about ready to speak?"

Right. The speeches. Ralph took a deep breath, his brain rapidly switching anxieties. "Are you?"

"No, but that's not going to change. I was thinking we should just get it over with, but… now I don't want to interrupt Maria."

Ralph looked back at Zoe and Maria, and saw Zoe glance at him. He couldn't tell what she was thinking, as she kept up the smile that was aimed at the toddler.

Maria also looked over at them, and reached out. "Mommy! Dass!"

Happy walked over to the dancing girls, and Zoe passed Maria to her. Ralph had only ever seen Happy dance at her own wedding, and it was different and a little startling to see her dance with her daughter, smiling widely.

Then Ralph caught Toby's face. He was staring, transfixed, at his wife and daughter, a small smile on his face.

"Are you okay?" Zoe asked quietly, having approached Ralph.

He nodded. "Look at Toby."

Zoe looked, and they watched him stare at his family. "That's love for you."

Ralph nodded again, smiling, then looked around for his mother and Walter. He found them talking to Walter's parents. That was another surprising sight, as Walter didn't often talk to his parents.

Ralph's grandmother caught him watching the table and waved him over. "Excuse me," he quickly said to Zoe, then walked over to her. "Hi, Grandma."

"Hi, Ralph. That's a pretty girl you were dancing with over there. When are you going to introduce me?"

"It's not like that."

"Ah, Ralph." Ralph looked up in surprise as Sean addressed him. "Good you're here. About time I finally got to talk to my new step-grandson."

The term raised everyone's eyebrows. Ralph hadn't actually given any thought to the fact that he was now connected to Walter's family back in Ireland.

"Not that we're putting any pressure on you, of course," said Louise. "We know you're like our Walter, and you can talk to us in your own time. But we would like to welcome you to the family."

"Thank you."

"Also, one other thing," said Sean. "Walter, you remember your cousin Judy?"

"Of course, I remember her."

"Well, her daughter, Joanie, fancies herself an actress now, and has decided to up and move to LA."

Walter knit his eyebrows together. "I didn't even know she had a daughter. She didn't bring any offspring to the Pattern Day event for Megan."

"Yes, well, Joanie was away in London at the time."

"London is a lot closer than Los Angeles," Ralph's mother pointed out.

Louise gave one of those half-nods, half-shrugs that indicated reluctant agreement. "We know. She was fifteen at the time. And she's, well, something of a rebel. But, she's mellowed out a bit since then."

"A bit, yeah," Sean agreed. "Anyway, since she's only a couple years older than your boy, and they're cousins now, we were thinking they should meet." He looked at Ralph. "You could show her around the city a bit."

"That sounds like a great idea," said Ralph's mother.

Ralph looked at her for a moment, then back at Sean. "Um, sure, sounds great." Crap.

"Excellent. We'll put you two in touch when she gets here."

Ralph saw the knowing look that Walter was giving him, and looked down. His grandmother leaned over towards his ear. "You have my sympathies," she whispered.

He gave her a quick glance, then looked back over towards his friends. Tyler had pulled Cecilia onto the dance floor, and both were laughing as they spun each other around, each trying to lead.

Getting up, he started walking back to his own table, but was intercepted by his mother. "That was nice of you," she said quietly.

"I'm not looking forward to meeting this person."

"I know, but, she is your cousin now."

"I'm not used to having cousins."

"We have cousins. Just not ones that we're in touch with."

"Exactly."

"But you know that Walter has a big family, and we're part of that family now." She smiled. "I think it feels kind of nice."

"I'm reserving my judgment until more evidence is acquired."

"Then think of meeting Joanie as acquiring evidence. Actually, don't. Think of it as meeting a new potential friend."

"She's a rebellious girl who wants to become an actress. I'm sure we'll find plenty of common ground."

"You'll never know until you meet her. Now, I'm going to request that you not be sarcastic for the remainder of my wedding day."

Ralph's eyes widened. "I'm sorry, Mom."

"It's okay. Go be with your friends."

Ralph returned to his table. Zoe was back in her seat, drinking a glass of red wine. "Sorry I left you there."

"It's alright. Everyone here knows you, and you've got to give them all a little time."

"My grandmother asked when I'm going to introduce you to her."

Zoe raised her eyebrows. "Oh? Well, I'm flattered, I guess." She took another sip of her wine.

"I told her it's not… I mean, we're not…"

She looked at him over the brim of her glass, her expression unreadable.

"Ralph, stop talking." Tyler and Cecilia had returned from the dance floor, both laughing. Ralph decided to take Tyler's advice. "Also, drink this." Tyler poured a large amount of wine into Ralph's glass. "You have a speech to give soon."

Ralph looked over towards Happy, who was now standing near her husband at their table, still holding Maria.

He took a sip of the wine, but didn't enjoy the taste. "Think of it like medicine," said Tyler. "You may not like the taste, but it will make you feel better afterwards."

Cecilia chuckled, retaking her seat beside Ariel. "In any other context, that's terrible advice. Here, though…" She trailed off, taking a sip of her own wine. "I'd say the Boy Wonder needs it."

Ralph gave her a look of mock betrayal. "I'll be fine."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," said Ada.

"Thank you."

Cecilia placed her hand on Ariel's metal shoulder. "You, my dear, could use some wine yourself tonight."

"Well, I could order some, but by the time it gets to me, the reception will be over."

"And you might have to tip the unfortunate waiter who has to drive it over extremely well," said Tyler.

"I'll bring you some," said Cecilia.

"You're not driving anywhere tonight."

"Michael and I will bring you some." Michael would be driving Cecilia and Tyler home, after they took Ariel back over to the school.

"No, stay and enjoy the party. I'm just fine watching from here."

Cecilia looked longingly at the metal head. "We should at least put a screen on there linked to your camera, so I can see your beautiful face."

"You know that will scuttle the battery life. Plus, if everyone could see me I would have to get dressed every day."

Tyler began choking on his wine.

"I mean out of my pajamas, you dolt. Keep your head in the right place."

Tyler smiled weakly.

"Well, you have very cute pajamas," said Cecilia.

"Maybe we can skype later and you can see them."

"Wish I could sort of be at a wedding while wearing pajamas," said Michael. He tugged at the collar of his shirt, which looked a little too tight.

"Well, get a condition that destroys your immune system and you can."

Michael blanched. "Sorry."

"It's alright. Anyway, Ralph, you'll be fine. You have an IQ of like a zillion, remember? And everyone here already likes you, so they'll appreciate anything you have to say."

Ralph smiled. "Thanks, Ada."

As if on cue, Happy was behind him, tapping his shoulder. She was holding a glass and a fork. "You ready?"

"Yes." Ralph stood, and they walked to the center of the dance floor. As they got closer, he felt his heart begin to pound, and took a deep breath.

Happy tapped the fork against the glass, and the music stopped. Everyone else that had been on the floor quickly returned to their seats.

She took a moment to begin. "Hello, everyone." She looked around at all the pairs of eyes that were on her, hesitating for another moment. "I'm here to talk about how wonderful Paige is, and how great she and Walter are—"

"Mommy!" Maria's voice called out from where Toby was holding her on his lap. She wriggled against her father's grip, trying to break free, but he held on tightly.

"Hi, baby," said Happy. "Um, as I was saying… Most of you know what we do professionally, and the sorts of situations we find ourselves in. And you all know what an integral role Paige plays in all of our lives, keeping us together and teaching us how to handle encounters among ourselves and with others. I really… I can't say where I would be if I didn't know her. For one thing, I probably wouldn't be married, and have my wonderful family." She glanced over at Toby and Maria again. Maria smiled widely at her mother's gaze, and Happy paused there for a moment, smiling back.

Then she turned to the bride. "Paige, you've taught me some of the most important lessons I've ever learned. You taught all of us to stop hiding and embrace our emotions, and you taught me… You've been a role model, and I've been looking up to you the entire time, even though there were times early on when I resented you because of it. I watched you be a wonderful friend to everyone and a wonderful mother to Ralph, and I learned from that. I think almost everyone here has learned a critical, life-changing lesson from you at some point, and we can never thank you enough for the impact you've had on our lives."

As she spoke, Ralph watched his mother's eyes begin to glisten with tears. When Happy paused, she gave a smile and mouthed a silent thank you.

"And through much of that same time that you were teaching us how to embrace our own emotions, it was clear to us that you and Walter had fallen in love, even if neither of you realized it as quickly as we did. There were plenty of bumps along the way, but it was only a matter of time before you two wound up together, and before we all wound up here. And take it from the one person with the unique experience of having been married to Walter before…" She paused for a moment, but Toby was the only person who chuckled at the comment. There were confused looks from those around the room who weren't aware of that particular episode. "You are always going to make each other very happy."

She hesitated again, having lost her steam from the lack of reaction to her attempt at a joke. People glanced at each other, and some began clapping uncertainly, wondering if that was the end of the speech.

Her gaze flitted in several directions: First to Toby, then at the floor, then at Ralph, then around at the crowd. Ralph wasn't sure whether she was actually finished, but she took a small step backward. "Go ahead," she muttered.

There was more applause as people concluded that Happy was indeed finished. Ralph waited for it to die down, then stepped forward. He took a deep breath, pulling to the forefront of his brain the lines he had decided on with help from Sylvester, Toby, and Cabe. "Welcome everyone, and thank you all for coming." His voice came out sounding weaker than he wanted it to, but he wasn't sure he could focus on making it stronger while remembering what he wanted to say. "As you all know, I have a two-fold honor today, being both the groom's best man and the son of the bride."

He turned to his mother and Walter, who were both looking at him proudly. "Walter, even though you weren't officially my step-father before today, you've been like a father to me for a long time now. Ever since we met, you have cared for me, you have helped me, and you have shown me all of the good that I can do for people. And you have shown my mother love, and made her the happiest she's ever been." His eyes shifted back and forth between them as they exchanged wide smiles. "I know that you will continue to make her happy forever."

His gaze moved around the room, and he saw Toby looking at him expectantly. He realized that he had forgotten a joke in there somewhere, but he couldn't remember it now. He quickly sought something to try to make up for it, but his mind seemed to freeze up.

Silence filled every space in the room, and it all felt extremely uncomfortable. He scrambled to try to remember what he had come up with, but the ink seemed to bleed across his mental parchment and smudge everything.

After several seconds, Sylvester began clapping, and everyone else uncertainly followed. He glanced appreciatively at Sylvester, then smiled guiltily at his mother and Walter. "Thank you."

The applause gained steam, and Happy quickly turned to Ralph. "It's alright. You did okay." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "And no one is going to remember it anyway."

"I will," he muttered, the embarrassment returning after the momentary relief that Sylvester had induced.

"No one here is going to love you any less for it."

He nodded.

"As for me, I knew I shouldn't have gone with the line about having been married to Walter. Dammit, Toby."

Ralph chuckled a little despite his feelings, then walked back to his table.

Tyler immediately put his hand where Happy's had been. "Alright, we're going to work on the speech-giving. But that was okay."

"We all freeze sometimes," Cecilia added, giving him a sympathetic smile.

Ralph appreciated their words, but they were also enhancing the embarrassment. He felt heat in his face as he looked around the table, until his gaze reached Zoe. He quickly looked away, unable to look at her.

She leaned over, placing her hand on his other shoulder. "It's okay," she said quietly. "You have many strengths that have nothing to do with giving speeches."

Her words actually made him feel a little worse, because they once again made her seem so much older than him.

The next several minutes seemed to pass by in a blur as he struggled to fight off the embarrassment. His mother and Walter returned to the dance floor, as did Toby and Happy and Cabe and Candace. The cake was brought out and cut, and turned out to be delicious.

"Why don't we go outside?" Tyler suggested. The venue had a large patio overlooking the water.

"That's a good idea," said Cecilia.

Ralph nodded, and everyone stood and left the table. As they stepped outside, Cecilia quickly checked Ariel to make sure that the wifi signal was still strong.

They sat in the several chairs that were oriented towards the water. Ralph gazed out across the dark ocean, willing his negative thoughts to vanish into the night.

"This was a really nice wedding," said Tyler. "First one I've been to that wasn't in a church."

Zoe chuckled. "Can you imagine if it had been in a church? Walter would have spent the whole ceremony pointing out the logical fallacies in the minister's prayers."

Ralph laughed along with the others at the comment, although he wasn't sure she was right. Walter wouldn't have liked getting married in a church, but he probably would have held his tongue if that was what Ralph's mother had wanted. Not that she ever would have wanted that either.

"I'll probably have to get married in a church," said Tyler. "My grandmother is super-Christian. She wouldn't be happy with a secular ceremony, and…" He shrugged. "I wouldn't be happy if she weren't."

"Planning your wedding already?" asked Ada. "Who's the lucky woman?"

"I'll figure that part out next."

"My abuela's the same," said Cecilia. "Catholic."

Zoe looked at her. "Is she alright with you being gay?"

"Yes. She's perfectly fine with it."

This conversation had happened already, but Zoe hadn't been there the first time.

"What about you?" Tyler asked her.

Zoe quirked an eyebrow, and glanced over her shoulder at her family through the window. "Well, technically, I'm half-Christian and half-Jewish, but I only know the basics of each."

Ralph raised his eyebrows. He hadn't known that about her.

"I don't foresee any kind of pressure from anyone in my family about where I get married."

"Well, then another secular wedding is somewhere over the horizon," said Tyler.

Zoe looked at him, and Ralph fought the urge to do the same. He wasn't ready to think about Zoe getting married to anyone.

"At least you guys will get to choose," Ada said quietly. Everyone fell silent at that, and Cecilia reached out and took hold of Ariel's metal arm.

Ralph looked out at the water again, trying to come up with something to change the subject. As it happened, it was Happy who achieved that, as she came outside and looked around at them. "Well, the JV squad is out for a breath of fresh air?"

That nickname had been Toby's idea, and Happy was the only one who had taken to it. It was an odd one coming from a Scorpion member, since it was an athletic reference.

As she walked around their chairs to face them, Ralph saw Maria clinging to the bottom of her dress. The toddler looked up at Zoe. "Zo!"

Zoe smiled at her. "That's right. I told you you'd get to know me."

Happy smiled at her daughter, then looked back at the seated group. "Actually, Toby and I were hoping she might be able to get to know you all better this week. Since it's a week before most of your internships begin, we were thinking of giving Lena the week off so she can travel to visit her family." Lena was Maria's regular babysitter. "Perhaps you can be the babysitting squad for a week?"

"My flight's tomorrow," said Tyler.

"I know." Happy looked expectantly at Ralph, knowing that he wasn't starting at Elia's for another week.

"Sure," said Ralph.

"Once we finish her hands, I'm happy to help out," said Cecilia, gesturing to Ariel. She and Happy were building an improved pair of hands for Ada's interface, so that she could perform more precise functions as a research assistant at the university.

"I'm around as well," said Zoe.

"Super," said Happy. She reached down and picked up Maria. "You're going to have a fun group of nannies next week, aren't you?" She looked back at the others. "Thanks, guys."

"No problem," said Cecilia.

"I'll let you get back to your conversation." Happy went back inside with her daughter.

Cecilia glanced at Tyler. "We're going to miss you this summer."

"I'll just be in Sacramento. You're free to come and visit."

"And do what up there?"

Tyler chuckled. "Hell if I know." He leaned back and looked up at the sky, then nodded towards Zoe. "But you'll have Jane Bond around instead." Jane Bond was the first attempt at a nickname for Zoe, but Ralph wasn't fond of it. Not that he could think of anything better.

Zoe chuckled, shaking her head at the nickname. Then she glanced over her shoulder, as if sensing her brother coming up behind her. "Hey, Russ. What's up?"

Russell was fourteen, actually closer to Ralph's age than his sister was. It was a strange thought for Ralph, considering how much younger Russell seemed in various respects. He liked talking about video games and baseball, like most boys. A few weeks ago, he had even asked Ralph if he wanted to go to a Dodgers' game with him. Ralph had declined.

The boy shrugged. "Do you mind if I join you? It's getting kind of boring in there."

Ralph looked over his shoulder into the room. Some of the adults were still dancing, but he could understand why Russell was getting bored.

Russell took the empty chair on the far side of Michael and looked out at the ocean.

"So, what are you going to be doing over the summer?" Tyler asked him.

Russell looked at him. "I go to a sleep-away camp in Pennsylvania."

"Pennsylvania? That's pretty far."

Russell shrugged. "I like it."

His answers seemed to further highlight the differences between him and Ralph. Sleep-away camp had certainly never been a financially-viable option for Ralph, not that he ever would have wanted to go anyway. But the Elias could certainly afford it.

"You all have jobs for the summer?" Russell asked.

"Jobs or internships, yeah," Cecilia replied.

Russell nodded, and looked back out at the water. He didn't seem interested in what those jobs and internships were. Perhaps he didn't want to think about the work or responsibility involved, which he would have to take on himself sooner or later.

"Ralph?" Ralph looked over his shoulder again as his mother emerged on the patio. "Some of the guest are starting to leave. Why don't you come say good-bye?"

"Alright." Ralph stood and followed his mom back inside. He gave his friends apologetic looks, but of course they all understood.

As he joined his mother and Walter in saying good-bye to people, he noticed for the first time that his father looked drunk. He sighed. They were going to need to get a ride home from someone.

It wasn't long before Happy and Toby said their goodnights. Maria had fallen asleep on her father's shoulder, and they wanted to get her home and to bed. "Thanks again for agreeing to babysit," said Happy.

"No problem," Ralph replied.

"We'll come to the airport tomorrow to see you guys off," Toby said to Walter. "I've got to catch my flight back to the trial not long after that anyway."

"Efficient," Walter replied.

"Yes, and that's exactly why we're doing it." Toby winked, and Walter gave a knowing smile. "Enjoy the wedding night, kiddos."

Once Happy and Toby were gone, Ralph walked over to his father's table. "Dad, are you okay?"

"Huh? Yeah, Ralph, I'm fine." He sounded unconvincing.

Ralph looked at the two of his mother's friends who were still at the table. Krysta and Kathy had both also been waitresses at Nemos's. Kathy had only worked at the diner briefly while finishing her accounting degree, but she kept in touch with the friends she had made among her coworkers. Krysta had stayed at Nemos's until shortly after Ralph's mother left, and had since gone on to become a hostess at a high-end restaurant in Culver City.

"Ralph, you look very handsome tonight. You've grown a lot since we last saw you."

"Thank you," Ralph replied. He briefly glanced at his father, then back at the women. "We're going to need a ride home tonight. Would that be okay?"

Krysta gave his father the same brief glance that Ralph himself just had. "Yeah, that's okay. We'll get you both home."

"Thanks, Krysta."

"No problem."

Ralph turned and saw that the Elias were now talking to his mother and Walter. Zoe and Russell had come back inside and joined their parents as they spoke with the newly-married couple, and Ralph made his way over, trying not to get his gaze stuck on Zoe for too long again.

"Hello, Ralph," said Mr. Elia. "You did a fine job today."

"Thank you," Ralph replied.

"I suppose next time I see you will be day one of your internship. I look forward to you getting started."

"I look forward to it too." Ralph looked at the rest of the family, making sure to look at both of the Elia children. "Thank you all for coming."

Zoe gave him a smile. "Goodnight. I'm sure I'll see you this week."

"Goodnight." Ralph didn't like talking to her so formally, but he felt that it was the best course in front of her family, especially his soon-to-be boss.

As the Elias departed, his mother gave him a look.

"What?"

"You could have said something warmer than just 'goodnight.'"

"Not in front of her family."

His mother and Walter exchanged amused looks.

* * *

After Ada said her goodnights, Ralph and Sylvester helped the others carefully load Ariel into Michael's car.

"Thanks for your help," Cecilia said to Sylvester.

"Oh, not a problem," Sylvester replied. "I hope you all had fun."

"We did," Tyler replied. "Did you?"

"Uh… of course I did." Sylvester looked over at where the bride and groom were now outside, saying goodnight to Cabe and Candace. "It's Walter and Paige's big day, how could I not enjoy it?" He looked back at Tyler. "I'm very happy for them."

Tyler looked at Sylvester for a moment, not at all convinced. "Sylvester, thou art sad."

"Are you Shakespeare now?"

"You know the next line."

"Honestly, I'm not sad. Well, maybe a little, but only because I'm remembering… Megan."

Tyler, Cecilia, and Michael all nodded understandingly. They all knew the story.

Sylvester looked back over at Walter. "She would have been very proud of her brother today."

"I'm sure she is very proud," said Tyler, pointing upwards.

Sylvester looked upwards, smiling sadly. "I'm sure she is."

As Cabe and Candace left, Walter walked over to them. "Are you guys also heading out?"

"Yeah, we're gonna call it a night," Cecilia replied. "But thank you for inviting us. This was a really nice wedding."

"You're welcome," Walter replied. "We're glad you enjoyed it." He looked to his side, and realized that his new wife was no longer beside him. Ralph looked over and saw that his mother had been intercepted by his grandmother, and they were talking quietly some distance away.

"You made one heck of a groom," said Tyler. "Honestly, when we first met, I never would have expected that."

Walter chuckled, watching his wife and mother-in-law talk. "All it takes is the right bride."

Finally, the Dineen women made their way over. "Ralph." His grandmother hugged him tightly. "You were wonderful tonight. And so handsome."

"Thanks, Grandma. Are you going home?"

"Yes, I'm afraid I can't party like I used to." She looked over his shoulder. "Why don't you introduce me to your friends first, though."

"Oh." Ralph turned. "This is Cecilia, Michael, and Tyler. This is my grandmother."

"Pleased to meet you," said Cecilia.

"Likewise, dear. I'm very glad that Ralph has found such good friends at college." She turned to Walter. "Walter, keep in mind that I'm still going to make your life absolutely miserable if you do anything to hurt my daughter."

Walter's smile didn't falter at all. "Of course, Veronica. Thank you for coming."

She gave her daughter one last hug, then looked at her and Ralph in turn. "I love you both."

"We love you too. Goodnight."

* * *

Almost everyone else had left by the time Ralph's father finally stood from his seat, with a little help from Krysta and Kathy. "Paige?" He walked over to her and Walter. "This was a wonderful wedding. I'm really happy for you both."

"Thanks, Drew." She looked a little concerned as she looked from him to Ralph.

"Krysta's giving us a ride home," said Ralph.

"Okay." She smiled as her old friends approached, giving them each a hug. "Thank you so much for coming. I'm sorry to give you a little extra responsibility."

"It's not a problem at all," Krysta replied.

Ralph stepped towards his mother as she leaned down to give him a hug. "Congratulations, Mom. You were wonderful today."

"So were you. I love you."

"I love you too. See you tomorrow." He pulled away from her and turned to Walter. "Step-dad."

Walter's smile widened at the word. "Took us long enough, huh?"

Ralph chuckled. "Definitely. Take care of her."

"Always." Walter glanced at Ralph's father. "And, uh, you take care of him."

"I will. See you tomorrow."

* * *

Ralph's father climbed out of Krysta's car as soon as she stopped in front of his building. "Thanks for the ride," he muttered, without looking at her.

Ralph watched as he entered the building, then turned to Krysta. "Should I be worried that he got like this at Mom's wedding?"

"No, I'm sure he'll be fine," Krysta replied. "Seeing your mother get her happily ever after, maybe he's getting a little impatient to find his own."

"You think so?" Ralph glanced over his shoulder. His father seemed content with casual, short-term relationships, often with women met through apps.

Krysta nodded. "But he will. He'll find the right woman. And in the meantime, he always has you. Take care of him."

Ralph nodded. "I will. Thanks for the ride."

"You're welcome. Goodnight."

As she drove off, he entered the building. His father had left the door to the apartment open, and had gone straight to his room. Ralph entered and shut the door, then sighed, looking around at the general mess.

Then he noticed the blonde woman sitting on the couch. "What are you doing here?"

"He didn't even notice me when he walked in." Lindsey, his father's current… whatever, was scowling.

"He's drunk. And tired. And we didn't expect you to be here."

"I figured I would wait for him. I understand why he didn't want me to come to your mom's wedding. I know it's too soon, but…" She shrugged. "I didn't have anything else to do today."

"So, you sat in his apartment all day?"

She shrugged again. "Read, watched some television. Same thing I would have done if I'd been at home."

Ralph kept his reactions in check, not wanting to offend her. "Okay."

"He got that drunk at your mom's wedding? And then came home and went straight to bed?"

Ralph shrugged. "He'll be fine." He didn't want to repeat to her what Krysta had said to him. If his father was suddenly going to start thinking about more serious relationships, Ralph didn't want Lindsey to be the woman he was dating when the topic came up.

She glanced at the door to his bedroom. "Maybe I should stay, just in case he needs anything in the morning."

"That isn't necessary. I'll take care of him."

She looked indecisive for a moment. "Alright." She stood slowly, still hesitant to leave. "The wedding was nice?"

"Yeah, it was."

"That's good." She glanced towards the bedroom door again. "I'm glad your mom is happy."

She had never actually met Ralph's mom. But Ralph supposed it was a nice thing to say regardless. "I am too."

Finally, Lindsey moved towards the exit. Ralph opened the door for her. "I'll stop by tomorrow to make sure he's okay. It was good seeing you, Ralph."

"Likewise." The little white lies tended to pile up when it came to his father's flings. "Goodnight." He shut and locked the door behind her and sighed again, shaking his head. Then he went to his own bedroom.

He was tired, but he knew it would take him a long time to fall asleep. That was frequently the case after socially-demanding days like this one. There was a lot to reflect on. As he lay in bed, he tried to focus on the good parts of the day: his mother and Walter happy, spending time with his friends, even the dance with Zoe. Overall, he had enjoyed the day, despite the pressures.

Keeping that thought in mind, he eventually managed to fall asleep.


End file.
